Do you want to improve your life and live a healthier, happier life? You should consider meditating the first thing in the morning. A recent survey has revealed that 33% of Americans said that they were happier in their daily life. Although there is no straight path to happiness, and it’s likely there never will be, but thinking of it as a compilation of good fortune will help you build the stepping stones you need to increase happiness as you go through life. To build these stepping stones, you might need to incorporate positive habits in your life, such as a great workout and meditation.
Today, we cover five reasons why meditation is excellent for you.
- You will be happier: According to research, people who meditate are happier than people who don’t, so if you want to be happier, learn meditation. Whether you will employ a meditation instructor, read a meditation book, or use other means to learn it, meditation will enhance the flow of constructive thought and positive emotions keeping you happier than the people around you. A few minutes of meditation a day can make a huge difference in your life.
The best time to meditate is before you begin your day. Once you get out of bed, sit in a comfortable position, and calm your mind. Some people prefer to listen to a gratitude podcast to keep their positive feelings up while others prefer total silence. Whatever works for you does not matter as long as you spend some time meditating. - Helps you manage anxiety, depression, and stress: The University of Wisconsin published a study on meditation and its psychological effects on the brain. During meditation, for instance, the part in your mind that regulates stress, anxiety, and depression decreases, which in turn reduces the amount of anxiety, stress, and depression you have. By meditating, you are training your brain to remain calm even in stressful situations. Your meditation instructor will admit that your anxiety levels will also drop significantly, keeping you in a better mood.
- The benefits are immediate: You don’t have to wait for days, weeks, or hours to feel the effects of mediation. Once you open your eyes as instructed by your meditation coach, you will immediately feel relaxed and calm. You will feel a sense of calmness and peace of mind, whether this feeling is subtle or clearly evident.
- You sleep better: Insomnia is a troubling condition that affects a third of Americans. Whether the sleep deprivation is chronic or occasional, meditation might be the solution you have been looking for. Once you start sitting with a meditation instructor, your relaxation responses will be triggered, which helps with sleep. This is said to be the reason why most people fall asleep as soon as they start meditating.
- Enhances self-awareness: By meditating, you stand a chance of understanding yourself better and grow into your best self. You can ask your meditation instructor which techniques will help you on this journey. Usually, they will recommend the self-inquiry meditation, which helps you to develop a stronger understanding of yourself and your relationship with those around you. You will learn to recognize harmful and self-defeating thoughts and steer them towards more constructive patterns.
Remarkably, 21 women fighting breast cancer took part in a tai chi mediation program, and their self-esteem improved significantly compared to those who participated in social support networks. Another study found that meditation helps reduce the feelings of loneliness and cultivated a more creative approach to problem-solving.
Meditation is valuable to anyone who wants to live a better life and become a better version of themselves. Meditation lengthens your attention span, may reduce the effects of aging and age-related memory loss, and even helps fight addiction. If you want to learn more about bettering yourself, contact Matt O’Grady right away!